The hijab pulling incident triggers national outrage; demands grow for resignation of Bihar CM and UP minister
NEW DELHI — The “shameless and disgraceful” act of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar removing the hijab of a Muslim lady doctor during a government event at his residence in Patna has taken a new turn with a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Uttar Pradesh criticising the sordid episode.
Aparna Yadav, who also happens to be the Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission, has said: “No one has the right to interfere with the dignity of any woman or pass cheap comments linked to her religion or caste.”
During a visit to the Barabanki District Women’s Hospital on Tuesday, Aparna Yadav made it clear that the actions of both Nitish Kumar and Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad, who condoned the Bihar chief minister’s act, were wrong. She said, “People holding public office must watch their conduct and language. Their actions affect society, especially women.”
Taking a strong stand, she demanded an open apology from Nitish Kumar and Sanjay Nishad. “There can be no excuse when a woman’s dignity is hurt. This will not be accepted,” she said.
Anger over Nitish Kumar episode intensified after Sanjay Nishad condoned the act. “This is enough for touching the veil. What would have happened if he had touched something else,” he said with a chuckle. The statement was widely criticised as crude and insulting to women.
The Nitish Kumar clip, now widely shared on social media, has caused deep pain among Muslims and raised serious questions about respect for women and religious freedom.
The victim, according to sources close to her, is deeply upset and has decided not to take up the job and is willing to migrate from the state. job. She has said that the incident left her “humiliated in public” and that she “could not continue with dignity after what happened”.
Muslim groups, women’s bodies, and civil rights activists have condemned the act, calling it a direct attack on a Muslim woman’s dignity. Demonstrations were reported in several cities, with protesters holding placards and raising slogans against what they described as public shaming of a woman because of her religious identity.
Reacting to the Uttar Pradesh minister’s remark, many women’s organisations said Sanjay Nishad has crossed all limits. A protester in Lucknow said, “These words show how lightly some leaders speak about Muslim women. Such thinking is dangerous.”
For many Indian Muslims, the episode has reopened old fears about safety, respect, and equal treatment. Community leaders said the silence or casual tone of some politicians adds to the pain. One Muslim activist said, “Our women deserve respect like all others. A veil is not an object to be pulled or mocked.”
As the controversy grows, pressure is mounting on political leaders to respond with responsibility and respect. The focus now remains on accountability, justice for the woman involved, and a clear message that Muslim women’s dignity is not negotiable.
